William Shatner’s Forgotten Turn as Batman’s Classic Villain, Two-Face
Did you know William Shatner once played one of Batman’s most iconic villains? Yes, the Star Trek legend himself took on the role of Two-Face in a way that many fans may have missed—but it’s one of his most unique performances. I was just revisiting this bit of entertainment history, and it’s such a cool, often overlooked chapter in both Batman and Shatner lore.
Back in 2017, Warner Bros. released an animated movie called Batman vs. Two-Face , a spiritual continuation of the beloved 1966 Batman TV series that starred Adam West and Burt Ward. Now here’s where it gets interesting: William Shatner voiced Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face. That’s right—Captain Kirk himself brought this dual-sided villain to life in a project that paid homage to the campy, colorful world of the original show.
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What makes this even more poignant is that Batman vs. Two-Face was Adam West’s final performance as Batman before he passed away. The film reunites him with original co-stars Burt Ward and Julie Newmar, and it’s all done in that classic retro style, complete with exaggerated expressions, zany plotlines, and punchy dialogue. And into this world, Shatner steps in—not as a parody, not as an over-the-top cartoon—but as a surprisingly grounded and layered version of Two-Face.
The animated film imagines what it would’ve looked like if the original ’60s show had ever included Two-Face, a villain who never actually appeared back then due to being considered “too dark” for the lighthearted tone. So this movie becomes a kind of retroactive correction to that omission. Shatner’s Two-Face is split not just physically but psychologically, battling with inner morality after being exposed to—you guessed it—“liquid evil.” Only in the ’60s Batman universe could something like that exist.
Visually, the animators designed Harvey Dent to look like William Shatner as he appeared in the 1960s, complete with a two-toned green-and-flesh face and a bright, over-the-top suit. It’s like stepping into a time capsule. What’s more impressive is that Shatner doesn’t camp it up—he delivers an emotional, conflicted performance that feels closer to the deeper portrayals of the character in Batman: The Animated Series than the flashy villainy of Batman Forever .
And here's a fun detail—Lee Meriwether, who once played Catwoman in the original 1966 Batman movie, also shows up in this animated adventure, tying together multiple eras of the franchise in a sweet, nostalgic bow.
So if you're a fan of classic Batman, vintage Shatner, or just love seeing creative what-ifs done right, Batman vs. Two-Face is worth checking out. It may be a forgotten footnote for some, but for those of us who care about pop culture's golden-age crossovers, it's pure gold. Shatner as Two-Face? Honestly, it works better than you'd think.
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